GOLD [Book 2 in the JESSE series] | Completed

Chapter Twenty-One: Detroit (Parts 3 and 4)

Part Three: At a Glance

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You wake up the next morning, full from delicious food and expensive alcohol, and wondering in the back of your mind how much money is coming out of Overwatch's pocket to but six of you up here. You stare out the window, the sun starting to peek over the horizon, and turn to observe your surroundings.

You glance at your surroundings, observing possible routes of escape and weaponry, but your eyes slowly drift over to Jesse, sound asleep, facing towards you. Sleeping next to him is a pillow with a nightgown on that the two of you lovingly (and drunkenly) named Miss Cake after stuffing two smaller pillows into the pillowcase to give Miss Cake "curves."

You suppress a chuckle. He looks so peaceful. You stand and stretch, and move to wake him up, but you can't quite bring yourself to do so. You never noticed how long his eyelashes were before, or the way that his long hair fell into his face when he was sleeping.

You suppose that it's fair that you didn't notice these things, as the last time you saw him sleeping, you were bleeding in a cave. His arm is around the pillow, and you imagine yourself in that position for a moment, before snapping out of it. No need to get jealous of a pillow.

You head to the bathroom to change clothes. You pick out for yourself something that reminds you of "Jamie." You put on a little bit of makeup too, and put the sunglasses on. Looking at yourself, you certainly don't hold yourself in the same aggressive way you normally do. Everything about Mrs. Lee-Dawson is effortless and elegant. She didn't have to fight like you did just to get by. She doesn't know pain. She knows comfort, love, and success... and part of you likes living that way, even if it's just pretend.

You walk out of the bathroom to find Jesse starting to sit up, rubbing his eyes. "Good morning." He says, glancing out the window. "What time is it, exactly?"

"About 6:30." You say.

"Oh." He seems surprised by this. "I swear, every summer I forget that the sun rises earlier. I thought we were late."

"Late? For what?" You ask.

He stops walking, furrows his brow, and says, "I also forgot that we were here. Assumed we had some Lowers to teach today." You check your watch. The training for the lower agents would've been today.

"Sorry you have to miss out on teaching Baines." you say, as you being to flip through the breakfast menu.

"It's alright." You see his reflection in the mirror, and it shocks you.

You immediately cover your eyes. "Hey, maybe change in the bathroom!" You say.

He chuckles. "What- I just don't have a shirt on."

"Just go somewhere where I can't see you, please!"

"Alright, fine." His shirt hits you in the back of the head.

"You're an ass." You call back to him.

"I know, you keep reminding me." The bathroom door closes.

You scan the breakfast menu and find (Y/Favorite). "Hey Jess?"

"Jess?" He says, poking his head out of the door. "That's new. What's up?"

"I was just wondering if you wanted to order breakfast in, or go downstairs."

He mulls this over for a second. "We aren't much use up here, are we? Though we don't know which restaurant they'll be at."

"There's three, so the others can go to the other ones."